About

University of Minnesota-Rochester

The University of Minnesota Rochester (UMR) is the newest campus of the University of Minnesota system, having been formally established in December 2006. UMR offers undergraduate and graduate programs available on campus in Rochester, Minnesota located downtown near the Mayo Clinic. In April 2008, Stephen Lehmkuhle was named the first chancellor of UMR. Although it was not officially established until 2006, the Rochester campus has offered classes since 1966.

Mission

The University of Minnesota Rochester promotes learning and development through personalized education in a technology-enhanced environment. The University of Minnesota Rochester empowers undergraduate and graduate students to be responsible for their own learning and provides appropriate support to prepare them to succeed in a global and multicultural society.

The University of Minnesota Rochester serves as a conduit and catalyst for leveraging intellectual and economic resources in Rochester and southeastern Minnesota through its signature academic, research, and public engagement programs in collaboration with other campuses of the University of Minnesota, other higher education institutions throughout the state and nation, governmental and non-profit organizations, and private enterprise.

History

Rochester legislators and community advocates started the campaign to increase University of Minnesota presence in Rochester as early as the 1950s. Programs based on economic development, such as engineering, education, and math, began being offered in 1966 as a satellite site of the U of M. In the early 1990s, an educational coalition was formed with Rochester Community College and Winona State University-Rochester to form the University Center Rochester – 3 institutions, 2 systems, 1 campus.

In 1998, Rochester was recognized by the legislature as a branch of the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus. This designation allowed the Rochester site to develop its own leadership structure and to begin expanding its programs.

In 2000, the University heightened efforts to grow both the programs and reach of the Rochester branch by adding a new Provost to lead the campus and increasing staff to accommodate this growth.

The current University of Minnesota Rochester began to take form in January 2005 when then-Governor Tim Pawlenty announced in his State of the State address that southeastern Minnesota was underserved by public higher education and a plan to initiate research into what was necessary to solve the problem.

Governor Pawlenty formed the Rochester Higher Education Development Committee (RHEDC) and appointed local business owner Marilyn Stewart to lead the group. The committee consisted of representatives from other public and private education institutions, area business leaders, and leaders in health care. The group’s charge was to formulate a plan to advance higher education in southeastern Minnesota.

The RHEDC eventually identified the need for an institution that could drive and support key economic growth factors for the region and to do so through education, research, and outreach. The group recognized the University of Minnesota as the only institution in a position to carry out this ideal. An RHEDC report was drafted and delivered to Governor Pawlenty. The recommendation was adopted by the Governor, the legislature and the University of Minnesota Board of Regents.

In 2006, the University of Minnesota Rochester was designated as a full and official coordinate campus of the University of Minnesota system, and shortly after, selection of a downtown location to grow the campus began.

In fall of 2007, UMR staff moved into the new facilities at University Square in downtown Rochester and welcomed its new Chancellor, Dr. Stephen Lehmkuhle. Dr. Lehmkuhle was inaugurated in April 2008 with a community celebration and formal address.

Programs offered through UMR were delivered in partnership with other U of M campuses, but in 2008 and 2009, Biomedical Informatics and Computational Biology (BICB) and a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences (BSHS) respectively, became the first two programmatic offerings administered and delivered by UMR.

In September 2010, UMR revealed that "Raptors" was chosen as the mascot for UMR.

On May 18, 2013, UMR graduated its first class of undergraduate students in the B.S. in Health Sciences and B.S. in Health Professions programs at the Mayo Civic Center in downtown Rochester.

Academic Programs

UMR provides graduate and undergraduate degrees, conducts research, and pursues outreach services focusing in the areas of health sciences and biotechnology as well as academic programming in business, education, and public health.

The University of Minnesota Rochester offers its own baccalaureate degree programs, the Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences and the Bachelor of Science in Health Professions. In addition, UMR offers baccalaureate programs from the School of Nursing and the Academic Health Center. These programs offer traditional and nontraditional students the opportunity to be taught by University of Minnesota faculty and earn their University of Minnesota degree without having to travel to the Twin Cities.

The University of Minnesota Rochester offers two graduate programs: an M.S. and Ph.D. in Biomedical Informatics and Computational Biology. The Biomedical Informatics and Computational Biology M.S. and Ph.D. graduate programs offer a variety of academic offerings and research opportunities that are focused on the quantitative analysis of biological and clinical data.